No-glare headlight



Dec. 7, 1926.

' C. E. GODLEY No-GLARE- HEADLIGHT Filed June 5o. 1924 sheets-sheet 2 frm/250m Patented Dec.. 7, 1926.

A1.1i' L .CHARLES E. GODLEY, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESTE ASSIGNMENTS,

'ro-o. M. HALL Lam? COMPANY, A conrona'rron or mienne iro-enana H'Enntrsrrr.

Appneatin elec June 3o, 1,924. seiiai no. 'magna -My invention relates to concentrating re lectors of the general class employed in automobile headlights, land in its general objects includes theproviding of a. simple and easily manufactured reflector construction whereby certain portions of the light of the lamp used with the reflector "can ef' ectively be distributed over definitely delined portions of* the vprojected tleld and whereby the needed formations upon the reflector can be produced without interfering with the eilective polishing thereof.

In anothervbroad aspect. my invention provides a reflector construction adapted to projects certain portions of the light in beams out of alinement Awith the axis of the reilector, and for this vpurpose provides a simple and easilyv manufactured construction which will readily permit any desired number of beams to be projected by (liderent portions of he reflector. which will permit these beams to be tilted at varying angles witl` `espcct to the 'axis of the reflector, which will permit such beams to be 25. varied as to the extent to which they spread the light, y and which `will permit these bea-Ins to overlap to any desired extent. It also aims to provide a reflector construction which will readily lend itself to the projectingofrelatively` diverging beams and to the intensifying of any desired portions otthese beams.

Furthermore?A my invention aims to pro' tion. -Stillffurthcr and also more detailed d objects will appear from the followingT specication' and. from the, accompanyiugl draw` ings, in which Fig. l is a front elevation of a headlight reflector embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section through a head .lamp comprising the reflector nf Fir?.

Fig. l.

elliptical portionv is fiomitted.

,constituents 'of the less intense projects l in combination witha tlatjfarenotsoicloseit glass lens carryiigJal suitable glare-reducingf lll-rter, taken along-fthe' line 19-5 of Fig. 1.`

"Fig 3 is an elevation of the lens `of the lamp with the lilterattached to it, drawn on a reduced scale and taken from vthe inside of the lamp,'or from the line 3-3ot Fig. 2.

Fig. 4r is an enlarged perspective 'viewvof the gleretilter. i i

Fig. 5 is a section through the complete reflector, taken along the lines 4r-'-195.of 65 Fig. 6 is a view showing; theiield of light projected by the rear elliptical section of the reflector of Fig. 2. f

Fig. y7 shows the circular ield of light 22 projected by the true parabolic portion of. the reflector of Fig. 2 which is disposed immediately orwardfof the paneled portion.

Fig. 8 is a view showing the projection of; light from the paneled portions of 'the relector of Fig. 2. y A l Fig. 9 is a view showing the approximate general light distribution from the entire reflectory and color lter combination ofthe headlamp of Eig. 2 when employed with a point source of light.

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary central section corresponding -to Fig. 2 but showing a simpliiiedtype of reflector embodying my invention, namely one in whichv the forward Fig. Yl is a fragmentary horizontal section similar to a portion oitliig. 2, showl ing an alternative form of'reflector in which the panel-'sections are tilted about their rear edges. 'I To meet the various requirementsl desirable in 'an automobile head lamp, it is important` that a. portion of the light of the lamp should be projectedin a highly concentrated loi 0i distance beam axial of the lamp,l and t at this long, distance beam 'should be supplemented by a beam of' substantially inverted 4'fan' shape havingfrelw tively intense lighted portions 'diverging 100 downwardly from the said concentrated riving beam portion; Also, that therel should be a more widespread illumination of less. intensity and thatthe' glare-producing light should be greatly reduced. i

Furthermore, '1t is-desirable `that the more y concentrated portions ofthe beam should to reduce the size of the filament images and insure greater concentration, and that the portion of the reflector nearest to the source of light should be employed for a less i duced as to their glare-producing factors.

Furthermore, 'it' is important that there should be a considerable projection of uncolored light upon the ground all the Way from a point closely'in front of the'lamp up to points hundreds cf feet ahead.

To. meet all of theseexacting requirements in vim exceedingly simple and inexpensive construction,` 1 desirably employ a concen tratin'gig reflector having at least three and "preferably four distinct light projecting ortions of relatively different formations. or thisurpose, Figs. 1, 2 and 5 show a reflector L iaving 'an annular intermediate lportion C of a true parabolic shape formed y rotating a portion of a parabola whose axis is the axis 1 of. the reflector and whose focus 2 is at the center of the source of light. This true parabolic section vC desirably extends forward of the focus 2 and is here shown as having its rear edge in the same transverse plane of the reflector' with the focus 2;

The extreme rear end portion A of the reflector is a portion of an ellipsoid of revolu-v tion generated by rotatingA about the axis 1 a portion o f anellipse which has its rear focus also at the source of light 2 and which has its axis ,inclined to the said axis. The forward focus 3 of the generating ellipse is desirably behind the mouth of the reflector, so that/the forward foci of the resulting ellipsoid are' disposed in a circle behind the said mouth and having its center on the said axis 1 of the reflector. y

The part ,of the reflector between the portions A and Cv is'also a general paraboloidaly contour but has its determining parabolic shape deformed so as to afford twov sets of panels respectively' disposed at op posite sides of the vertical medial plane of the reflector, the determining shape being part of theI saine truc paraboloid of which the portion C forms apart. The -pane s of' each set extend parallel to each 'other at right angles to thc-direction`along which thev beam portions projected by that set of panels are to be widened, and have straight transverse"sections in planestakeii along the. said direction. The panels of cach set are also tilted out ofchordal relation to t e determining parabolic section taken along theA is to be tilted, the tilting of each panelbeiig desir-ably about one longitudinal edge there'- of, so as to' bodily tilt the beams respectively projected by these panels. This tilting for the said panels at eachk side of the vertical medial plane of the reflector is effected iii a plane at right angles to the general Vdirectic-n in which the panel'sextend, or in the plane' 4 for the leftvliand set' of panels in Fig. land in the plane 5 for the-right hand,

set of panels. Each panel is desrably tilted about its forward edge, leaving this forward edge in the true determining parabolic surface While the rear panel edge is then face the source of light, thereby prol' ducing objectionable glaring streaks inthey projected light.

With the panels thus tilted into substantially tangential relation to the determining true parabolic surface, each panel owing to its flat transverse section will project a forwardly widening beam of light having vits medial plane tilted with respect to the medial vertical plane 1 of the reflector, as shown at 6 for. the forwardmost panel in Fig. 2. Consequently. the widened beam projected by the panels at each side of the reflector will cross the vertical medial plane and project a field-of light at the other side of that plane, land since the panels extend in directions inclined to the vertical medial plane, the fields projected by them will be elongated along axes correspondingly tilted with respect to the horizontal plane. For example, with the panels inclined at 18 vfrom the vertical medial plane as shdwn in VFig. 1, the projected fields will be inclined atthis same'angle with respect to the horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 8.

. With each panel, the extent to which the projected beam is widened will depend on the width of the panel, while the amount of angular displacement from the vertical medial plane will depend on the extent to 4which the-'panel is tilted out of cliordal relation to the determining parabolic surface.

IConsequently by suitably proportioning both this tilting and the width of the panels, I 'c an cause the resultinji,r projected field portions to overlap to any desired extent. This 1s highly desirable in the case of an automobile headlight reflector, as the plural projected field portions 8, S) and 10 of 8 can then be produced with their upper ends (or the ends nearest tothe medial vertical plane of the reflectorj"overlapping, thereby causing the composite inclined' beam part at y each, side of the projected field to gradually y to.

decrease in density-as it recedes from the` vertical medial plane. This is indicated for f exam le in Fig. 8 which shows the two ont- Iward yvdiverglngbeam parts projected respectively ,by the sets of panels at opposite sides of the reflector when this reflector has its panelsso formed that these inclined beam' i While-the combination ola the beam parte as shown in Flgrg readily produces a high-y ly desirable light projection for the distant' ints, it will not ordinarily be ade uateA y@illuminating the portions of the roa v and rond sides nearer to the vehicle. o Conse Yquently, I provide my reflector with at least l .Y A one section formed: for projecting light at angles diverging considerably from the axis of the fretlector. `For this' purpose .I .desirabl "as pa 'of an ellipsoifl' of revolution as herejtofor'e described. AWith the rearend A.- thus formed, rays of light-will be reflected` by it'` through annularly arranged fociysueh as 3 and 3^ to form a beam which converges out-i side athe relector and then `conical' torni. i

f Sincethe upwardlyjdirected portions ot' this beam will reach the e es of approaching drivers-or pedestrians an since the proximity of this rear portion A tothe source of' lightinakes this beam quite intense, these j upwardly directed portions would produce a highly undesirable glare. VTo eliminate this glare I provide a' glare filter 14, dcsirably m the form of a thin plane of glass or other Ytranslucent material of a light amber or so calledI '.rai'lroad-yellow tint, which filter maybe Jfastened tothe back Vof the-clear spreadsl out inv a filter desir-ably is in thel shape of a sector 'having 'an inclosed angle of 180 degrees plus the' angle at which the' two sets of panels in the reflector section C diverge from each bther, When such a glass glare filter 14 is 7'5 cemented to the rear face ot the plain glass lens i5 with the recess portion of'thefilter facing upwardly and symmetrically disposed with respect to a horizontal plane, and with -the notch in therecess at the axis 1 of the cal portion A, thereby causing this portion,

`Ltp projecten amber `tint over the field portion 16 as shown in Fig. 9. By thus elimi ffiu, nating the glare producing fact-or from the form the rear end A of the reflector p lass lens 15 as shown in Figs. Zand. .This

reflector, the glare filter' willintercept thev light which is projected abovvethe horizontal by the' rear section A, I enable my hea 'ght .to'ail'ord suilicient illi'nninationy abov e thev vmore intense bea parts so as to make .dis tant approaching vehicles, signsfbuildl-ngs and other land marlrsclea'rly visible without blinding any approaching drivers.

At the saine time, rays reflected by the upper half of the rear end A will almost all pass above the glare filter, thus affording uncolored light for ilhnninatingl the roadway, ditches and lower roadside portions. Owing to the concentration of this conical "beam, it @will ronly beelfective at points con- -siderablyfahead of the lamp, hence I prefer- `fably also provide another-reflector' section for ail'ordinga general illumination nearer tothe lamp. For this purpose I desir-ably add a forward-section l) also forming part of an ellipsoid of revolution generated by rotating a portion ot an ellipse about the axis 1 ot the lamp. In this case, the generab ing, ellipse has its rear focus 2 at the source of .light and its forward focus 13 laterally displaced from the said axis 1 of the lamp and at the same sident the axis l with the focus 3 butconsiderably forward of the latter 'and desirably lforvvardvot the lens 15 as shown in Fig.' 2. The thus generated vellip- .soid has its rear focus at the point 2 on the axis of the lamp (or at the source-ot light),

and has its foci disposed in a circle about the axisjl, the point .i3-being one ofthese 'focil W'iththe reflector :portion D -thus formed, light will be projected by it. at angles diverging more from the axis of thelretlector than the light projected by the rear portion A,

thereby lighting both the nearer road pori.

tions and the nearer road sides, vehicles and the like. Since this reflector portion D is at a considerable distance from the source of light, the intensitypf the projected rays is notl nearly as great as the rays projected by the rear' portion A, 'so that it is not necessary to hare-any of the rays reflected by .this

forward portion D 'to passthrough a glare i filter. Consequently, I can accomplish the general purposes of my invention by employf mg a quite small glare filter such as that show-n in Fig. 3, and having` onlya small portion ilter.

However, While 'Fig'. i9 shows the distant light distribution as it theoretically would bc obtained with 'a pointjeource of light. it will be obvious that this will be'modiiied los vof thelight pass mthrough this glare somewhat-l y the vconsiderable size of "the,`

source of light actuallyL employed, so that the projected tjeanl lportions will correspond-- mply overlap sind b end into one another.

F urthe1'mo1e,"-while Ihave pictured and described a highly` desirable embodiment ot myinvention and one employing a desirable angular displacement off' the panel portions,. l f do not wish to be limited toadjeseorother@ details of the construction andvarrangeinent thus disclosed. Obviously, these might be varied. in many ways without departing either from the spirit of my invention or beam of circular sectionl and having an annular portion concentric with the aforesaid portion and comprising two sections respectively forined for reflecting lightA from the said source in two bea-ms each of which has a greater cross-sectional width ythan height,

the last named two beams having the longer axes of their cross-'sections oblique to each other. I

2. For use with a source of light. a concentrating reflector having a generally para; bolic part whose focus is at the source of light, the said part being deformed into two sets of panels respectively at opposite sides of a medial plane of the reflector. the panels of each set extending parallel to each other and having their edges oppositely inclined to the said plane from the edges of the panels of the other set, all panels of either set having flat transverse sections tilted vin the saine direction with respect 'o adjacent portions of the true parabolic cu. ve soA as to tilt the resulting beam portions in the saine direction with respect to the said plane.

3. A. reflector as per claim 2, in which 'the direction of the said tilting -is respectively opposite for the two sets of panels so that the two sets tilt the resulting beam portions in'respectively opposite' directions with respect to the said plane.

4. For use with a source of light, a reflector having a portion of the general configuration of a paraboloid whose focus is 'at the source of light. the said reflector portion being deformed into panels extending at an acute angle to a medial plane of the reflector and having straight transverse sections, all of the panels at one side of the said plane having their" transverse sections tilted in the same direction out of cliordate relation to the true paraboloidal form of the said a'eneral configuration. j

' 5. In a headlamp, a source of light and a reflector having the general configuration of aparaboloid whose focus is at the source of light, the reflector having portions thereof formed into two sets of' parallel panels symvertical plane of the reflector; the panels of each set extending at an angle: to the said plane and having straight transverse ctions causing them to widen the projected beam portions transversely of the direction in whiclithe panels of the said set extend,

and having their transverse sections tilted' 70 out of chordate relation to the said general paraboloid so as to tilt the projected widened beam portions out of symmetrical relation to the axis of the paraboloid.

6. The combination with a source of light, of areflector housing the saine, the reflector having two semi-annular parts thereofv form-ed into panels arranged for projecting two flattened beams which beams have the longer axes of their cross-sections diverging obliquely from the axis of the reflector; the reflector having as another'portion a surface of revolution formed for projecting a concentrated beam overlapping the adjacent edges of the said flattened beams, and having' as a further part a'surfaee of revolution -formed for projecting another beam of circular cross-section coaxial with the said concentrated beam and housing the said flattened beams.

7.' A headlamp comprising a source of light and a reflector housing the saine; the reflector having two ellipsoid--of-revolntion portions each having its rear focus at the source' of light but having spaced forward foci, whereby the said portions project concentric beams adapted to light two road portions rcspectively disposed close to the lamp and at a considerablel distance l from the lamp; the reflector also having intermediate of' the aforesaid portions a generally paraboloidal portion coaxial with the aforesaid portions and deformed into panels cooperating to project a composite beam of downwardly widening transverse section.

8. A headlamp as per claim 7, in which the reflector also has a parabolic portionl formed for projecting a concentrated beam overlapping the upper edge of the said compositeY beam.

9. A single-piece reflectorl including in axial alineinent three sections; namely, a rear ellipsoidal section, an adjacent annular section of generally parabolic configuration but deformed out of true parabolic form to afford two sets vof panels symmetrical withrespect to the medial plane, each set of panels being parallel and the panels of the twosets diverging from each othcrnlownwardly,the determining parabola of the said annular section having its focus at the rear focus of the said ellipsoidal section; and a Vmore forward annular parabolic section valso-having its focus at the rear focus of the said ellipsoidal sect/ion.J

10. A single-piece reflector comprisingl'v four sections disposed in axial alinement;' metrically disposed with respect to a medial ofhaving a separate forward annular s eries of foci; and a pair fof annular interme' diate sections' disposed between the saidl ellipsoidal sections; one of thel intermediate sections being parabolic and having its focus at the common rear focus of the ellipsoidal sections; the other intermediate section be-l ing a deformed paraboloid, namely, a parab- 4ola having its focus at the said common rear focus and having its surface deformed into two setsof panels diverging downwardl from the vertical medialplane of the nre-.

ector.

1l. A: single-piece reflector comprising four sections. disposed in axial'alinement; namely a rear elli'psoi'dal section and an annnlar ellipsoidal mouth section both having a common rear focus, the said ellipsoids having forward annular foci disposed respectively within the reflectorandforward- 1y of the mouth end of the reflector; and a pair of'annular parabolic sections disposed between the said rear and mouth sections, one of the'parabolic sections being formed.

into panels all havingtheir longitudinal edges extending in the same general direction as a diametric plane of the reflector.

12.- For use with a source oflight, a reflector having a rear elliptical portion, a beam-widening `paneled portion adjacent thereto and having the general configurationof a paraboloid whose focus is at the source of light, and amore forward annularparabolic portion of greater concentration than the said paneled portion and also having its .focus at the source of light, the saidthree portions all having a common'aXis; the elliptical portion being generated by rotating about" the said common axis a portion of an ellipse having its rear focusat the source of light and its forward focus betweenv the said common axis'and the generatingfellipse j portion.

13. In a headlight, afsource of light, a concentrating reflector housing the same, a flat lens at the mouth lof the reflector, and

a sector-shaped color filter mounted on the lens with the center of the sector on the axis of the reflector and ywith itsarcuate edge at its bottom, the radius of the sector being relatively small with respect to the radius of the lens; the reflector having ellipsoidalA portions formed for projecting light entirely to lens portions radialloutward of the color filter, and-having para olic portions formed for projecting light through lens portions in` -cluding the portion carrying the color filter.

. j 14. A headlight as per claim 5, in combi- 'nation with a lens disposed across the mouth of the reflector, and a color filter secured to the lens; the color filter being of a sector shape disposed with its arcuate edge-downward and with its radial edges respectively at right angles to the directionsn which the two sets of- .panels extend, so that the said radial edges will afford color cut-offs parallel to the directions in which beam portions are widened respectively by the panels of the two sets. i

l5. A lamp comprising a source .of light, a reflector having in coaxial disposition a rear elliptical portion and a parabolic .por-- tion each having a focus atthe source ofl light so that these portions w11] project coaitial beams; *the reflector also having a poru tion of the general configuration of a parabov the field projected by it overlaps all of the aforesaid fields.-

16. A lamp as per claim-'15, in which the intermediate reflector portion has the panel formations on its two halves dierently disposed so that the said two halves'project widened beam portions diverging from each other. j

17 A lamp comprising a source of light,

a reflector having in coaxial disposition a rear elliptical portion and a parabolicpor- 4tioneach having a foeus at the source ,of

light so that these ortons will project c oaxialheams; the re ector also having a por tion of the general configuration of a.v paraboloid Aand comprising two paneled portions formed foriprojecting' flattened beams 4and, .i

having the major axes of theiricross-sections diverging from the common axis of the two first named beams and arranged for proecting fields overlapping each other and oth overlapped by lthe field projected by the parabolic portion, the elliptical portion being formed so that the field projected byl itoverlaps all of the aforesaid fields.

Signed at 1924.

onaRLEs n.' e'onLEiv.`

Detroit, Michigan, June 20th, l 

